As a disclosure related to a conventional electronic component production method, a common-mode noise filter described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2010-165975 is known. FIG. 11 is a transparent view of a mother laminate 512 for the common-mode noise filter 500 described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2010-165975.
The common-mode noise filter 500 includes a laminate 502 and external electrodes 504a and 504b. Each of the external electrodes 504a and 504b extends across two surfaces of the laminate 502. The common-mode noise filter 500 is made by cutting the mother laminate 512 with the laminates 502 arranged in a matrix-like state. For example, the mother laminate 512 is cut along cutoff lines CL11 extending horizontally, and thereafter, along cutoff lines CL12 extending vertically.
Incidentally, cutting the mother laminate 512 along cutoff lines CL11 results in a strip 512a extending horizontally. At this time, the laminates 502 might be distorted for the following reasons. The external electrodes 504a and 504b are located on a corresponding cutoff line CL11. Accordingly, when the mother laminate 512 is cut along the cutoff line CL11, the external electrodes 504a and 504b, along with insulator layers, are cut. The external electrodes 504a and 504b are made of a conductor having a higher ductility than the ceramic of which the laminate 512 is made. Accordingly, the external electrodes 504a and 504b are more resistant to being cut than the laminate 512. Therefore, when the external electrodes 504a and 504b are cut, a significant force is applied to the external electrodes 504a and 504b, and is transmitted to the mother laminate 512. At this time, when the significant force is applied to the strip 512a, the strip 512a is susceptible to distortion, such as twist, because the strip 512a to be separated from the mother laminate 512 extends horizontally. As a result, the laminate 512 is distorted. Such distortion may cause cracks in the laminate 512.